Butterflies and moths belong to the group of insects
with a complete metamorphosis. This means that there is a pupal stage and that the
immature butterfly or moth is morphological different from an adult butterfly or moth.
Metamorphosis can be described as the life cycle. It is a cycle so it is very hard to say
where the cycle begins. From an evolutionary point of view it would not be strange to see
a butterfly as the egg's way reproduce an egg. But I will not break tradition and start
with the egg stage.

Some species favor single egg oviposition

Some species favor group egg oviposition

Like all organisms who reproduce sexually, a
butterfly's life begins with the fusion of an female gamete with a male gamete, which both
possess half of the number of chromosomes of an body-cell. female butterflies have an
organ called the "corpus bursae", in which they can store male gametes. From
this spermreserve the female fertilizes the eggs one by one. After the eggs have been
fertilized the female has to find a place to lay the eggs. This place has to be safe for
the egg and should provide enough food for the young caterpillar to develop.